My Choice For the Next NRA EVP is… Comments by NRA Board Member Willes Lee

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- I'm in the fight, and my choice to lead the NRA is ……

I read with amused interest the recent speculation on who should lead the National Rifle Association of America if longtime stalwart Wayne LaPierre were to leave (he’s not). As a staunch defender of constitutional rights, a longtime member of the NRA and other gun rights organizations, and current board member of the NRA, I’m weighing in.

My choice is Wayne LaPierre.

If you are in a state which now allows some form of concealed carry (yes, it is on the books in all 50), thank Wayne LaPierre. If you own a semi-automatic rifle or handgun, thank Wayne LaPierre. Both issues were and are bitterly opposed by the gun control lobby. If you are a hunter, collector, or sports shooter, thank Wayne LaPierre because the NRA (unlike other gun organizations) does so much more than only advocating for gun rights. Don't read me wrong here, many organizations helped in our decades of success and to minimize our losses. However, and this is inarguable, it was Wayne LaPierre who led us to this point.

He is capable and energized. He is healthy and younger than many leaders of countries, legislatures, or multinational corporations. President Trump, leading the nation and world, is older. Pelosi and Feinstein are way WAY older. Warren Buffet is knocking on 90. Emphasis on age is foolish.

The socialists are here. Mike Bloomberg and Andrew Cuomo are leading today's progressive-socialist charge to take down the NRA. We are savvy enough to know that the National Rifle Association isn’t their real target. To be precise, it’s us gun owners and our firearms. Taking down the NRA is just their first step. Were they able to weaken or eliminate the NRA, we know that their true stated end goal is to repeal the Second Amendment.

Legislative Crap In = Crap Out.

NRA doesn’t make the rules or pass the laws. When we elect weak legislators supported by liberal billionaires, celebrities, and a media who want to control you combined a weak Supreme Court, we get bad laws. Yet, you still have civil (gun) rights. Much of it thanks to Wayne LaPierre's leadership. (thankfully under President Trump who Wayne Lapier and the NRA were instrumental helping to elect, the courts are changing.)

Now is the wrong time for experimental leadership especially now as we head into 2019 and a Democrat-controlled Congress with plans for an incoming flood of anti-gun legislative proposals.

We need experienced and tested leaders and courageous fighters to take on the anti-rights politicians and their sympathetic media. There is no one who has more experience and capability than LaPierre.

One example is the passage of the Firearm Owners Protection Act in 1986. The U.S House was under the control of Democrats – as it again will be in January. Wayne was part of an exclusive club of shrewd political fighters who moved that legislation through the House by discharge petition (do you know what a discharge petition is?) when the Democrat House Judiciary chairman declared this gun rights bill “Dead on Arrival.”

So, as legions of AmmoLand readers thoughtfully discuss this topic and a few keyboard commandos engage in mindless conjecture, Wayne does what he’s always done. Fires up the troops, fights like hell and wins.

Wayne has my support and faith as our continued EVP/CEO.

Willes Lee

LtCol (R) Willes K. Lee, Arlington, Virginia

LtCol (ret) Willes Lee is a member of the NRA Board of Directors, assigned six committees: Chairman Outreach, co-Chairman Collegiate Programs, Military & Veterans Affairs, Legislative Policy, Federal Affairs, Grassroots Development. Life member NRA, CCRKBA/SAF (2017 Defender of Liberty recipient), GOA and Co-Chairman of the Trump-Pence Second Amendment Coalition. Lee is President of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies, on the ACU Foundation Board (hosts of CPAC), and a former RNC member/State Chairman. Col Lee is a combat veteran graduate of West Point, a 22-year Ranger and Airborne qualified Armor officer, DSSM/BSM/LM. He holds an Engineering Degree from USMA and a Master’s Degree of Public Administration. Follow at www.Facebook.com/WillesLeeNRA and on Instagram and Twitter. His full bio and blog are at www.WillesLee.com, and his email is [email protected]

36 thoughts on “My Choice For the Next NRA EVP is… Comments by NRA Board Member Willes Lee”

For all the folks who are no longer members or who won’t join the NRA, think about the fact that the only way you can help change the organization is to join and vote for appropriate board candidates. Disagreeing and leaving simply reinforces the direction they are going with which you disagree.

There really seems to be a simple answer to this debate over the NRA. Those who support Wayne, have a good time and keep doing it. Those who feel the NRA is no longer responsive to the needs of the firearms community throw your support to organizations that do. With literally millions of gun owners in the country, there is certainly room for more than one organization. I was a member of the NRA for years but decided they have become part of the problem so my support now goes to the Second Amendment Foundation and GOA. If funding dries up, the NRA will have to make a choice; pay Wayne millions and stop their real work or see if Wayne wants a pay cut. My small amount won’t make much of a difference but enough of those small amounts will. It isn’t treason to the 2A community to leave the NRA for another organization, for some of us, it just makes sense.

What guns or related items will Wayne offer up next for more gun control?
He just dosen’t get it after all this time, Shall Not Be Infringed, means exactly what it states! Obviously Wayne believes there are exceptions?
Time to retire?

Wayne LaPierre, NRA comprimiser-in- chief, and his hand-picked do-boy at the ILA are the reason I will no longer contribute a penny. I was a member for many years and became a life member in 2014. I was happily ignorant until I was slapped in the face with Wayne’s idiotic position on the Vegas shooting. I then researched and educated myself about his work within the NRA and became outraged. Bump-stock ban, Clinton assault weapon ban, Hughes Amendment, etc. Wayne LaPierre is a radical activist Fudd. I will keep my life membership so I can try to help vote in Board Members who will stop this giving away of our 2nd Amendment rights one little piece at a time, but WLP and all his ilk need to go or the NRA is dead.

What a bunch of immature juvenile ignorant idiots commenting above me. No wonder we are loosing the war. You don’t understand the constitution and definitely are clueless of our political system. Nothing wrong with being ignorant, but, stupid is unforgivable. I acknowledge our educational system has failed many, but, that is no excuse for remaining ignorant and spouting such stupid comments. Please, if we are ever going to come together and secure out rights please get educated by attending a course in civics and our political system. Continuing to spout the same worn out foolish rhetoric and platitudes just widens the divide in our ranks and makes us all look stupid. Please, get educated and correctly inform yourselves. And please, You Tube providers, start using your platforms responsibly. You do a real disservice to our young impressionable current and future shooters of which the vast majority of your followers are.

Im a life member. If I was not a life member I would not join the NRA. The nra has compromised to much in the past and recently, and that is a fact.
My problem with that is a CONSTITUTIONAL right is something that should never be negotiated or compromised, period. Once part of our rights are compromised away they will not come back. We need to support groups that do not compromise. I wish the nra didn’t compromise but they do.

Compromise. It sounds so — fair and equitable. But the only ones who are expected to compromise are the gun owners. We are expected to compromise our rights, freedom and safety so that the uncompromising anti-gunners can “feel” safer. Have you ever heard of them compromising and repealing a bad gun law because it didn’t work? All 20,000+ gun laws are working so well that we need more? What has La Pierre ever gotten (for us) in exchange for the compromises he agreed to?

As a former NRA Life Member (I resigned my membership), I say that Wayne IS NOT the answer! He folded on the Hughes Amendment, supported the unconstitutional/illegal bump stock ban, supported disarming our vets, and much more, along with the rest of the gang at NRA. Wayne can go pound sand.

We’re where we are because of the surrender monkeys at NRA, and all their sycophants. No other reason. The anti-gunners will ALWAYS be against guns, but they have nowhere as much power as gun owners. 100 million gun owners, as a bloc, can determine the outcome of any election, bankroll any lawsuit, defeat anything that threatens our gun rights. Yet the NRA has only a couple million members… Why not more? Why not 50-60 million?? Because gun owners see that NRA membership does nothing to protect our gun rights. Yeah, NRA supports hunting and offers training, and that’s all good and well for the fudds out there. But Gunowners of America – which exists precisely because NRA won’t do jack – has less than half as many members as the NRA but does many time more than the NRA to protect our rights. Just imagine if we presented a unified front? But I’ll tell you this; because the NRA has stabbed gunowners in the back so many times, if we ever develop a unified front to the antis it will be another group like GOA and not the NRA. That I guarantee.

So if the anti-gunners are laughing over the “infighting” among gunowners, it’s because of all the fudds with guns who keep blindly supporting the surrender monkey NRA, not the rest of us. That’s the hard truth. If someone disagrees, they need to pull their head out of full rectal defilade and suck it up buttercup, reality won’t change just because they are fudds who support surrender monkeys.

I will say this as an addendum: IF Adam Kraut were elected to be the next NRA EVP/CEO, then I would seriously consider rejoining the NRA as a life member. Adam is our only hope; everyone else who occupies NRA Board positions look to the EVP/CEO as if that person were the Hand of God. Consequently, we need someone who can lead from the front morally and legally (Adam is a lawyer) and deliver us from the surrender-monkey attitude that has typified the NRA since before GCA’68!

As a long time member of the NRA, I am very dismayed at this infighting over the EVP. The antis must be loving it. This is what happens when you only play defense (oh, and mostly all the other gun rights orgs do the same.) I have been waiting long to see lobbying for REAL GUN CONTROL. legislation mandating stiff penalties for criminal misuse of firearms, irresponsible handling of firearms, negligent storage of firearms, opposing early release of felons (otherwise known as “criminal justice reform), etc. We can get in their faces and put them on the spot. But I never see it.
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Spot on. If I were not a Paid in Full Life Member of the NRA,
I would never join the NRA today.

The NRA is misled by the extremely ignorant compromising, ineffective overpaid ; Wayne LaPierre.
Who should be retired immedetly. New Effective Uncorrupted Leadership Blood is needed to take charge within the NRA.

The constsnt “Bombardment” of NRA members by hired fundraising contractors for money all the time must stop. This turns off many NRA supporters who eventually do not Renew their membership. How much of that donated money goes to pay Wayne LaPierre? His extravagent salary of over $ 1.4+ Million Dollars not to forget the other money such as bonuses etc. That he receives at “Wayne’s World”.

I think its high time for NRA members to tell the Freeloading telemarking fundraiers, No more donations until Wayne LaPierre is permintly retired and gone from the NRA.

An NRA member and instructor…
Time for whiney lets-pee-in-the-air and his laplicker, kiss cocks, to leave. They have ran the protections nesl Knox set up for the common folk off the books. Thrown select fire, add ons, any chance of getting backstops passed for two fkn years to put the commies back down the shining path out the high priced window.

We need an ig to go over why he is being paid for a job he is not doing. He is feathering his and his buddies nests thru contracts. Where are the laws passed taking back our civil rights from the last two years??? The request to downsize the atfe and get their non laws off the books of “regulations” specifically pushing the REINS bill by Ron Paul making suggestions non laws and not enforceable???? Why not consider every bill that would have impact on the 2af or other civil rights as weighted scores and held against the ratings given to politicians? I know of bills that impact our rights but with a wink and nod they weren’t scored under Whiney’s reign. That is bs… him and lappy seem to show up when he knows the members have had enough. Just like the bumpstocks that we were used in Las vegas but weren’t, by either paddock or his partner from australia in the other room, locked in. ( GOOGLE IT, THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER SHOOTERS!!!!!)

Civil rights entertwined with 2af protections must be pushed!!!!!!

He is a loser like MIT Romney milquetoast no energy just a pretender… gtfo… leave.. Jeff Knox or his brother would be one hundred times better!!! No more money until we get to have an open membership vote for Jeff Knox for evp… no Whiney handpicked ass sucking same type milquetoast evp sucksessor like his lappy, kiss cocks.

It’s simple; “shall not be infringed.” Even a child can understand those words, All my life, the NRA has consistently bargained away our rights as Enumerated in the second amendment. I’m 57, and in all my life NEVER has anyone at the NRA stood up to the politicians and plainly stated: it’s not about hunting, it’s not about shooting, it’s not about the police, it’s about every law abiding man/woman being FREE PEOPLE and owning and carrying any firearm they wish, any where they wish. It’s about standing on principle. Not living on your knees begging the rulers for a crumb of bread. And if that means blood would be shed, then so be it. Rather us than our children or grandchildren. Bump stocks, background checks and dozens more, probably red flag laws, but as long as the NRA board can give millions to their king and not have to actually do anything, then I guess that’s what we have. Even they don’t know the real heart of America, the anger seething below the surface. I think we could have had 20 million members, if you just stopped compromising. But you won’t, you’ll just keep be-bopping along until this gravy train derails then you’ll move on to another one, while the members wonder what happened to our gun rights. I think I’ll just keep donating to GOA, instead, they don’t compromise.

Third. Left the NRA in September, after 30+ years. GOA is my org now. No more compromising.
Hey, did you hear that NRA filed suit today over the bump stock ban? No, you didn’t. Guess who it was that filed?

As an NRA Lifemember I feel that its time to clean up the Compromising Leadership of Wayne LaPerier. Who has thrown the 2nd Amendment under the Bus. This man earns over a Million Dollars a,Year in his long term position and has a Pension Plan of 4 Million Dollars courtosy of NRA Members money. He compromises our Rights like with So called ” Bump Stocks”.

Most importantly as NRA CEO ,Wayne LaPerier was douped by noted convicted Russian Spy Maria Butina, who networked within NRA to obtain contacts with influential GOP Members. NRA integrity,security was comprimised as a result of Wayne LaPerier’s incompetence. In my opinion as a concerned NRA Life Member, its time to retire Wayne LaPerier and others.
New effective, articulate and aggressive Leadership is needed within the NRA without Wayne LaPerier.

You mean, the NRA will finally allow someone to challenge Wayne LaPierre? So far, Wayne LaPierre and the members of the Board of Directors have obstructed every effort, for decades. Do you even understand how the NRA as an organization works?

You may want to think about why all of the sudden we see these articles about replacing Wayne LaPierre. LtCol (R) Willes K. Lee seems to be amused by this, which is just a sign of ignorance or blind loyalty, or both. There is exactly zero accountability within the NRA and many gun rights activists are either leaving the NRA or at least have stopped donating.

Don’t worry though, thanks to the Democrats taking the House, NRA donations will be back up in no time. The NRA can then re-hire the recently laid off NRA TV staff, continue to take business away from the USCCA with the low-quality NRA Carry Guard Insurance, and continue to run the NRA Carry Guard boutique training program. Wayne LaPierre’s salary will be increasing again to several million Dollars a year. The best of all, more Angry Dana videos.

New blood and new tactics are required as the anti-gun lobbies have changed theirs. If the NRA doesn’t adapt and change we will lose all rights. NRA take heed, many of us members are tired of giving in and will move to other organizations that will make change.

I agree 100% —- Wayne LaPierre is the single best person for this job/honor at the National Rifle Association.
Wayne knows how fight/organize, plan a strategy, and win it! Wayne knows when to keep his powder dry and when to lead/marshal the troops!

Continue fighting for 2nd Admendment. Time is now to remain rock steady — full speed ahead.

Bob F. From SW MO

Thank You — Wayne LaPierre for you past and continued GREAT Service to people of the NRA!!!

My Word, that article reads like a Pentagon PR/Spin paper (of which I saw a lot of in 20 plus years in the Army). Given the author still uses his military salutation as “street creed” I guess I am not surprised.

Wayne LaPerier is an over paid compromising failure.
Under his leadership NRA administration was influenced and comprimsed by convicted Russian spy Maria Butina who did so using the NRA as a stepping stone in the interest to make connecting influence with key GOP members. Wayne LaPerier’s incompetence is unacceptable
New effective,smarter leadership is needed to effectively run the NRA. Its time to retire Wayne LaPerier.

@J Gibbons the NRA is ignoring the bump stock issue and even worse they have supported it.
My guess is it hurt them because just yesterday I got an email wanting me to renew months early. The email sounded desperate for money. I’ve never owned a bump stock nor desire one but this is the second time the NRA sold out. POTUS will notice a difference in support too very soon.

I also disagree with the decision on bump stocks, although I have zero interest. The NRA isn’t perfect. But, it is the largest of the 2A organizations, and POTG need to be careful. A house divided cannot stand, even if part of the house needs a major overhaul. I’d love to see Wayne replaced, but if the NRA is driven into the ground, that will only embolden anti-2A folks to come for more. Progressive leftist communists won’t stop, and they tend to be more organized (at least when someone is paying the bill) than our side.

The NRA is driven into the ground by Wayne LaPierre. He is the one that is constantly dividing the house. This didn’t start with the bump stock ban. The bump stock ban is just the latest debacle.

The list of NRA debacles is long and divers, ranging from folding in local legal cases right after fundraising for them to kicking the USCCA out of the NRA Annual Meeting to the NRA Carry Guard insurance that is a scam to the boutique NRA Carry Guard training for the elite to Blended Training to completely unrelated revenue efforts, like the Wine Club, to the infamous Angry Dana videos, to zero accomplishments under President Trump, to high executive salaries, to laying off NRA TV staff, etc.

There is zero accountability within the NRA. Any CEO would have been fired by now. Wayne LaPierre, however, is surrounded by his cronies that protect him. He will likely be replaced by Chris Cox, one of his cronies, continuing to drive the NRA into the ground.